The White Knight
by Once.Evil.Regal
Summary: What would season 1 have been like if Regina didn't remember being the Evil Queen? More importantly, might her relationship with Emma have progressed...differently? Season 1 rewrite. Eventual Swan Queen.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **The White Knight  
**Author:** OnceEvilRegal  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Pairings:** Emma/Regina  
**Summary:** What would season 1 have been like if Regina _didn't_ remember being the Evil Queen? More importantly, might her relationship with Emma have progressed...differently?  
**Warnings:** Angst and S1 spoilers  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters, these settings, or Regina's fashion choices. Some of these dialogues are taken directly from the dream team that is the OUaT writers.  
**Author's Notes: **I will be loosely following the outline of season 1, especially in the beginning, but for the entire fic you can basically throw canon out the window xD However, I'm not going to change the backstory of any of the characters (though I will definitely add to it). My goal is to make the a fic that SQ shippers and non-shippers can both enjoy. Sorry, that means nothing explicit, lol.

Chapter 1

Regina stepped inside, closing the door behind her, and quickly kicked off her heels. Normally she could wear them all day without even a twinge of discomfort, but she was tired from lack of sleep and her body was crying out for the homey comfort of PJs and slippers - not to mention a nice warm blanket. Pleasant summer breezes were now well and truly gone, replaced with icy gusts that carried the distinct smell of winter. Regina didn't mind the cold, but what she liked most about winter was the various ways of keeping the cold at bay: drinking hot chocolate or hot apple cider, cozying up by the fire, or just curling up under her thick winter comforter. She was most certainly _not_ looking forward to dragging herself out of her gloriously warm bed to face the cold morning air and scrape ice off of her windshield. Just as she did every winter, she considered adding that particular chore to her gardener's list - she hired him to clear her walkway of snow in the mornings during the winter months - but once again rejected the idea; she loved that car too much to have that oaf go anywhere near it with a blade.

Deciding a hot shower was in order to help her unwind, Regina slowly climbed the stairs to inform Henry that they would be having leftovers tonight. He would complain, as he always did when she opted not to prepare a fresh meal, but he always dug hungrily into his helping nonetheless. Her food was delicious, leftover or not.

Thinking of her son brought a mix of emotion that Regina was too exhausted to deal with. They had never been close, exactly - Henry was far too independent and free-spirited to be clinging to his mother - but they had a good relationship. They had their daily routine and their nighttime rituals, and they had certainly had glorious moments together which Regina cherished. Lately, though, something had changed drastically. Henry was distant, disobedient, and even cold towards his mother. At first she had attributed the change to him simply growing up, testing his boundaries with the authority figures in his life. Just recently she had discovered that Henry was the poster child of good manners in his classroom, during a brief parent-teacher conference with Miss Blanchard, and something about the discovery made her skin crawl. Just the thought of Henry smiling sweetly at that...that..._woman_ made Regina burn with fury, the source of which still eluded her. The only logical conclusion was jealousy: Regina was jealous of Miss Blanchard and the ease with which she bonded with Henry. That didn't really explain why she'd instantly disliked the woman the moment they met, but Regina tried not to dwell on that. It really didn't matter.

At the top of the stairs Regina headed towards Henry's bedroom. The door was slightly ajar but she knocked anyway. There was no answer, which wasn't unusual given the boy's recent addiction to blasting loud music through his headphones, so Regina carefully eased open the door. "Henry?" she called, a little impatiently. She quickly saw that the room was empty. In no mood to go searching for him, she leaned over the banister and called his name, which echoed in the massive foyer. There was no answer. "Not a good day for this, Henry," she muttered, making her way back down the stairs.

It took about ten minutes of searching for Regina to conclude that Henry wasn't anywhere in the house. He was far too old to be playing hide and seek, after all. Worry fuelled adrenaline began to flow now, making her heart race. She went into the backyard, still barefoot, and called his name again. She looked at her apple tree, where he sometimes perched to clear his head - and get away from his mother, Regina thought bitterly - but he wasn't there. Now she was scared. Back inside she picked up the phone and dialled the number for Doctor Hopper, Henry's therapist. He didn't have a session today but sometimes Henry dropped by to walk the doctor's dog when Regina was working late.

"Dr. Hopper," she heard the man answer.

"Doctor, this is Regina Mills."

"Ah, Madam Mayor. How are you this evening?"

"Is Henry with you?" she asked, in no mood for pleasantries.

"No, I haven't seen him today. Is everything alright?"

"Call me immediately if you see him. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes Madam Mayor, I will."

Regina hung up the phone, hands shaking. She was already worn down from a stressful day and this was too much. Anger and worry and terror were all rising, mixing together in a monstrous tidal wave threatening to sweep her away. She let out a scream of frustration, hurling the phone at the wall with all her strength, where it scattered in pieces across the floor. Fighting back tears, she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed the familiar number of the sheriff's station.

"Sheriff Graham," he greeted.

"Graham, it's me," she said, voice no longer strong and short but quiet and shaky.

"Regina?" Graham's confusion was to be expected - she always called him on his personal phone, never the station line.

"Henry's missing," she said, steadying her voice. Graham may have seen her more..._vulnerable_ side, but she would not let him listen to her fall to pieces over the phone.

"I'll be right over. Just stay put and try to keep the phone free in case he calls." He hung up before Regina could respond. She looked over at the shattered hand held, momentarily horrified, before she remembered there was a base unit on the kitchen wall that still worked perfectly fine. She went into the kitchen to wait for Graham, her whole body trembling now. 'Please let him be alright,' she thought, resting her forehead against the cool marble countertop, tears pooling on its surface.

It took only a few short minutes for Graham to arrive, but it might as well have been a lifetime. When he stepped inside - he let himself in - he opened his arms to embrace Regina but she pushed him away, annoyed. "I called Doctor Hopper but he isn't there. I don't know where he could have gone."

"Have you called his friends?" Graham asked, wincing at the venomous look he got in response. The suggestion had been almost automatic, but Graham knew perfectly well that Henry had a difficult time making friends; Regina worried about it constantly. "Stay here in case he comes back. I'll go look for him."

Night had fallen when Graham finally returned, empty handed. Regina was a complete mess, no longer caring about her appearance or her dignity. She wouldn't admit it - couldn't say the words out loud - but the fact that she had no idea where he might have gone made her feel like a complete failure. She'd been racking her brain all night trying to think of where he might have gone, but she was no closer to finding an answer than she had been when Graham left. The only option she'd really considered was that he may have gone to Miss Blanchard's house. The thought made her sick, but the idea of calling Henry's teacher and admitting the boy was missing was too painful for words. She reasoned that if he _were_ with Miss Blanchard, she would have called to inform Regina right away, though she continued to glance at the phone every so often wondering if her logic was truly sound. Graham, thankfully, saved her the trouble of making the phone call: he had visited Miss Blanchard and informed her that a child was missing, and asked if she'd seen a child roaming around town alone. Regina knew his discretion was simply due to her position as mayor and her need to keep up appearances in Storybrooke, but she was grateful nonetheless.

"You can't just let him stay out there alone all night!" Regina sobbed when Graham informed her that he would resume his search at first light.

"There's no point in searching in the dark. Henry's a smart boy; he'll find a safe place to spend the night."

"But what if he's hurt?!"

"We're still not going to find him in the dark. It's not cold, and it looks like the rain has stopped for-" Graham paused, straining to hear something. Regina swallowed a sob and listened, too. At first she heard nothing, and was about to say as much, but then she heard the unmistakable sound of a car door slamming. "Are you expecting company?"

Regina shook her head. She heard footsteps coming up the walkway and made her way over to the front door. She glanced through a small side window, saw the outline of a child, and wrenched open the door. "Henry? Henry!" Regina raced down the steps, throwing her arms out to wrap them tightly around her son. Part of her wanted to scream at him for terrifying her like that, but her relief was stronger in that moment. "Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened?" She took in every inch of his appearance, assuring herself that he was indeed okay. She spared a glance for the woman standing next to her but barely registered her presence.

That is, until Henry shouted, "I found my real mom!" and raced into the house.

Now the woman had Regina's full attention. Eyes still red with tears, mascara smudged, she was too stunned to take in much about the woman before her besides a tacky red leather jacket and a lot of blonde hair. "You're Henry's birth mother?" she asked, incredulous.

"Hi," the blonde said, clearly feeling awkward.

Regina's first instinct was to grab the woman's arm and drag her forcefully back to her car, making loud, colourful threats along the way. Then she reminded herself that Henry most likely sought her out - which, she had to admit, really stung - meaning she was probably just as eager to leave as Regina was to see her go. She could handle a brief, cordial conversation before allowing the woman to disappear forever. "How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you ever tasted?" she offered kindly, struggling not to grit her teeth.

"Got anything stronger?"

'Most definitely,' Regina thought, leading the way into her study.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Sorry for the super short chapter. Longer one coming up in a day or two.**

Emma followed the woman - the _mayor_ - into her house. It was more like a mansion, really. The foyer was more of an elaborate cavern, with a ceiling so high she'd have to strain her neck to see it. After a quick glance at her surroundings Emma returned her gaze to the woman in front of her, taking advantage of being behind her to take in as much as she could. Despite the mayor's obvious distress, leaving her slightly disheveled, she was clearly a powerful woman. A politician if ever there was one, Emma thought. Everything about her appearance was carefully controlled, sexy but still professional, and when she walked she carried herself with absolute confidence.

"Thank you for bringing my son home," the mayor said, turning so abruptly that Emma nearly walked right into her. She took a quick step back, startled at suddenly finding herself with zero personal space. The mayor didn't even blink.

"Y-yeah, you're uh...you're welcome," Emma stuttered.

"I'm Regina Mills." This was the point most people usually extended a hand to shake, or at least gave some gesture of greeting, but Regina remained perfectly still.

Emma nodded. "Emma Swan."

Regina nodded, as though accepting this as true, and turned to open the door behind her. She motioned for Emma to enter first into what she quickly saw was a study. Still feeling nervous and not entirely welcome, she stood awkwardly, waiting for Regina to enter. The mayor brushed past her, the scent of her perfume wafting into Emma's face as she passed. Emma took a deep breath, unable to stop herself. It was a light citrus scent - hardly what Emma expected from such a stern woman. She shook her head to clear the ridiculous thought, composing herself just in time for Regina to hand her a drink.

"How did he find me?" she asked, taking the drink.

"No idea. When I adopted him he was only three weeks old. Records were sealed. I was told the birth mother didn't want to have any contact."

"You were told right." Regina strolled to the couch and sat down. Emma followed her lead, taking the seat across from her. She wasn't exactly thrilled to be sitting down, having a chat with the adoptive mother of her...well, the kid she gave up.

"And the father?"

"There was one," Emma said with a shrug.

"Do I need to be worried about him?" She took a slow sip of her drink, eying Emma carefully over the rim.

"Nope. He doesn't even know."

"Do I need to be worried about you, Miss Swan?"

Emma met Regina's gaze full on this time. She expected to see fear or concern in the woman's eyes, but instead she saw a fiery intensity that made her dark chocolate eyes almost black. "Absolutely not," Emma said carefully. She wanted it to be very clear that showing up here was NOT her idea and certainly not an experience she planned to repeat.

Regina nodded, accepting Emma's assurance. She seemed to relax at last. 'She's just worried about her kid. I guess I should be thankful for that,' Emma thought as she took a sip of her drink. It scorched her throat but she welcomed the sensation after the insane night she was having.

"I'm really sorry about all this," Emma said after a few moments of uncomfortable silence. At least Emma found it uncomfortable; Regina seemed completely unperturbed. At Emma's words she simply raised her eyebrows and lifted her chin slightly in a sort of politely curious expression. "Henry running away, tracking me down. I didn't even think that was possible."

Regina waved a hand dismissively. "I should be the one apologizing. I really don't know what's gotten into him."

"Kid's having a rough time. It happens." Emma took another sip of her drink.

"You have to understand; ever since I became mayor, balancing things has been...tricky." Regina looked down into her drink and Emma could practically see the guilt pouring from her hunched form like water from a tipped pitcher.

"You're single, I take it?" Emma asked. Regina lifted her head and nodded. Emma gave a sheepish look; she hadn't meant to offend Regina, but she wasn't much for sensitivity. "Being a single mom is tough. It's like having two full-time jobs and then some. I get that."

"I know I'm strict with him. Maybe...maybe too strict. But I do it for his own good. I want Henry to excel in life." Regina took a sharp breath. "I don't think that makes me evil, do you?"

Emma could see she had stumbled onto a particularly sensitive topic for Regina. "I'm sure he's just saying that because of the fairy tale thing," Emma assured her, taking another drink.

"What fairy tale thing?"

"Oh you know, his book. How he thinks everyone's a cartoon character from it. Like his shrink is Jiminy Cricket."

Regina blinked rapidly, dismayed. "I'm sorry. I really have no idea what you're talking about."

'Shit,' Emma thought. Here was this powerful, successful woman trying to hold herself together after what must have been the worst night of her life, sitting across from Emma like it was a fucking interview, trying to defend her parenting decisions to someone who had absolutely no business telling anyone how to raise a kid. Emma leaned forward, putting her drink on the table, and looked Regina straight in the eye. "It's none of my business. He's _your_ kid." This seemed to strike a chord with Regina. Emma nodded, reaching out to polish off her drink. "I really should be heading back."

"Of course," Regina said immediately. She was standing with the door open, waiting to show Emma out, before Emma could even get the glass to her lips. Feeling a little awkward, but deciding an abrupt end to the evening was probably for the best, Emma walked through the door. As she brushed past the mayor she caught another whiff of citrus and couldn't help taking a deep breath. "Have a good night, Miss Swan," Regina said as Emma reached out for the front door handle.

Emma gave a quick smile and a nod before stepping out into the chilly night air. As she made her way down the path she couldn't help glancing back at the monstrous house. She saw Henry disappear into his bedroom, flicking off the light. She stared up at the window for several minutes, feeling a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach. Regina was hardly evil incarnate, as Henry apparently believed, but _something_ made the kid run away. Maybe it was just a 'phase' - she remembered hearing her social worker tell foster parent after foster parent that Emma was just going through a 'phase'. She seemed to live her life in a phase. Still, it was probably nothing to worry about. It really wasn't Emma's place anyway, she reminded herself.

As she continued to stare up at the house, her feet strangely unwilling to move, she saw another light flick on. This must be Regina's bedroom. Emma watched as the mayor walked over to what Emma could only assume was a vanity. She placed her hands on the surface and hung her head, and even from far below Emma could see the woman's whole body trembling with sobs. Emma's brow furrowed in concern, but what could she do? She reminded herself that just because she was seeing the family on a bad night didn't mean they weren't happy overall. It was that thought that finally gave her the strength to turn around and slide back into her yellow bug.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**I'll be skipping ahead fairly quickly in certain spots because there are some things in the first couple episodes I don't want to change, and I certainly don't want to rewrite them here, lol. So if I skip anything, just assume it happened exactly as you saw it in the show. **

Regina struggled to maintain her composure as she followed Emma - Henry's _mother_ - to the door. Her stomach was in knots and the drink in her hand wasn't helping untangle them. All she could think was that she desperately wanted this woman out of her house, and out of her life, _now_. She knew it wasn't Emma's fault, that coming here hadn't been her decision, but her arrival made Regina incredibly uneasy. There was something about her that made the back of Regina's neck tingle, and she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. It didn't matter; she just wanted the woman gone. When she finally said goodnight, and hopefully goodbye forever, Regina made her way slowly up the stairs, practically dragging herself up by the banister.

She noticed when she reached the second floor that Henry's light was still on. She knocked quietly and felt her heart flutter when there was no response. The horror of the night washed over her again and she felt tears threatening to overwhelm her. She fought them back before easing open the door to find Henry standing at the window. She felt a vise tighten around her chest, and when she spoke her words came out much harsher than she had intended. She winced inwardly. "Henry, it's time for bed."

Without a word he let the curtain fall and climbed under the covers without even bothering to change into his pyjamas. "Goodnight," he muttered miserably. Regina flicked off the light, unable to echo his words for fear of falling to pieces right in front of him.

Regina managed to make it to her bedroom and cross to her vanity before she finally lost it. Heavy sobs burst from her lips even as she tried to stifle them. As her whole body shook she pressed one hand hard against her mouth to ensure the sound would not reach Henry. She yanked the curtain closed violently, nearly pulling them down. She sucked in a deep breath, holding in her tears just long enough to strip off her confining dress and slide into bed, just as unconcerned about pyjamas as Henry had been. Grabbing her pillow, she wrapped her arms around it tightly, clutching it to her face, and let her sobs take over until they drained the last drop of her energy and she fell into a dreamless sleep.

Regina woke the next morning feeling about as exhausted as if she'd already put in a full day at work. She groaned as she rolled out of bed, her whole body protesting the motion. For a moment she stared down at herself, dressed in nothing but her undergarments, and then she remembered how desperate she had been to simply curl up in bed. The previous night's emotions came flooding back and she shuddered, but their impact was already beginning to fade. She couldn't help feeling a hint of anger towards Henry for what he had put her through, and as she dressed she reminded herself not to let her anger influence how she spoke to him the morning. They would need to talk, of course, but allowing her anger free rein would only make matters worse between them.

Makeup on and looking fairly presentable given the brutal night she'd had, Regina padded downstairs in her bare feet; she'd left her favourite pair of heels in the front foyer. She gathered them and set them next to the door, then went into the kitchen to start breakfast. It didn't escape her notice that Henry wasn't downstairs yet, as he usually was on Wednesdays - pancake days - but she reasoned he probably needed his space now. 'He's avoiding me,' she thought miserably, unable to banish the thought. She managed to silence her thoughts briefly as she cooked, but when she finished she was faced with the dilemma of how to approach Henry. Should she call him downstairs or take the pancakes up to his room? He might appreciate the gesture, but as it was something she normally only did when he was sick he was more likely to regard it with suspicion. He seemed to feel that way about every kind gesture she made lately. With a heavy sigh she arranged several pancakes on a plate and coated them in syrup, just the way he liked, grabbed some utensils, and headed back upstairs. She left the fruit on the counter, knowing he liked to eat them separately anyway and hoping it would give her an excuse to invite him into the kitchen. 'This is pathetic,' the treacherous voice in her head scolded.

"Henry?" she called softly as she approached his door. When there was no answer she balanced the plate on one hand and used the other to knock. Still no answer, she grabbed the handle and eased open the door. A quick visual sweep knocked the air out of her lungs.

* * *

"Graham? Graham, Henry's run away again. Have you-"

Emma's head snapped up when she heard the familiar voice. Her bright eyes met the dark eyes of the mayor, looking terrified and once again rimmed with smudge mascara. 'Maybe invest in something waterproof?' she thought, biting her cheek to hide a smile. It really wasn't something to laugh about, after all. "He ran away _again_?"

"Have you seen him?" the mayor asked, advancing angrily.

"Lady, I haven't seen him since I dropped him off with you. And in case you haven't noticed, I have a pretty good alibi." She threaded her arms through the bars of her cell, resting her chin on top of the cool metal. At the look of anguish in Regina's eyes Emma sighed. "Have you called his friends?"

"He doesn't really have any," Regina said quietly. Emma could see the pain it was causing her to admit this. "He's...kind of a loner."

"Every kid has friends," Emma said. The look in Regina's eyes suggested that she didn't believe this, so Emma didn't push the subject. "Have you checked his computer? If he was close to someone he'd be e-mailing them."

"And how do you know this?" Regina asked, eyes narrowed.

"Finding people's what I do. Here's a thought: you let me out of here and I'll help you find him. Deal?" Emma held her hand out. Regina stared at the extended hand for a moment, then gave the barest nod and turned her back on Emma, instructing the Sheriff to set her free and bring her to the Mills house.

"Real people pleaser, that one," Emma said as Graham pulled out his keys. Graham chuckled. "Is she this bad all the time?"

"No."

"Yes," Leroy said over Graham.

Graham sighed as he pulled open the door to Emma's cell. "She's used to getting her own way. She's been mayor of this town as long as anyone can remember. But-"

"But underneath that spiky exterior beats the heart of an innocent little girl?" Leroy said sarcastically, batting his eyelashes.

"What did I tell you about behaving?" Graham said, pounding his fist against one of the cell bars as a warning. He looked into Emma's eyes. "I know this is a terrible first impression, but Regina's a _good_ mother. I hope you can believe that."

Emma nodded, cheeks burning. What right did she have to judge? She followed the sheriff out of the station silently, and they didn't speak the entire way to the mayor's house.

* * *

Regina looked at the clock for the hundredth time. She had been pacing across the house for hours, growing increasingly agitated like a caged animal. Something about seeing Miss Blanchard had set her on edge, anger coursing through her, mingling with her fear and anxiety to create what felt like a thick, toxic sludge pumping through her veins. She had no idea why she had been so horrible to the woman; they'd hardly shared more than a few words with each other since first meeting each other, but Regina simply couldn't control herself. Now she was home while that gad damn _bounty hunter_ was out tracking down _Regina's_ son. She let out a few loud and colourful curses as she paced.

At last she heard the sound of the awful bug pulling up in front of the house and she quickly pulled herself together. The politician in her came to the surface, filling her whole being with poise and a confidence she didn't actually feel. As she pulled open the door she watched - with a mixture of relief and what she could only identify as grief - Henry race past her . She stared after him for a moment until she heard his door slam shut, then turned to face the blonde. She managed a quick smile before it faltered. "Thank you," she said, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets to ward of the chill in the air.

"No problem," Emma replied quietly.

"He seemed to have taken quite a shine to you," Regina said, struggling to keep her tone light. She could feel her mask starting to crack and panic began to rise inside of her.

Emma chuckled, unaware that she was even looking at a mask, let alone one that was about to shatter. "You know, it's kinda crazy...yesterday was my birthday, and when I blew out the candle on this cupcake I bought myself I actually...made a wish." Regina raised an eyebrow. "I didn't have to be alone on my birthday. And then Henry showed up."

"I hope there's no misunderstanding here," Regina said. She heard the emotion in Emma's words, saw the light in her eyes, and Regina could feel something flexing inside her, about to snap. Even knowing it was coming there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"I'm sorry?" Emma said, taken aback.

"Don't mistake all this as invitation back into his life." Here, at last, was something Regina could handle. She might be losing control of everything else in her life, she might have no idea how to handle Henry, but _this_ she could take care of.

"Oh, I..."

"Miss Swan, you made a decision ten years ago. And in the last decade while you've been," Regina looked Emma up and down, "well who knows what you've been doing." That stung and Regina could see it. "I've changed every diaper, soothed every fever, endured _every_ tantrum. You may have given birth to him but he is _my_ son."

"I was not-"

"No. You don't get to speak. You don't get to do anything. You gave up that right when you tossed him away." Regina advanced on Emma, fury making the blood pound in her ears. "Do you know what a closed adoption is? It's what you asked for. You have no legal right to Henry and you're going to be held to that." Regina clung to the threat, trembling slightly, feeling hot tears stinging the backs of her eyes. Emma was staring at her, stunned and somewhat alarmed. Regina continued, "So I suggest you get in your car and you leave this town. Because if you don't, I _will_ destroy you if it is the last thing I do. Goodbye, Miss Swan."

Regina turned and marched back up the stairs, willing herself to hold it together just a little longer, just make it to the other side of the door. This woman had already seen her family fall apart, what more humiliation did Regina have to endure. "Regina?" a voice called. The mayor stopped, stunned that Emma had the nerve to speak to her again.

Regina spun to face the blonde, fury blazing in her eyes. "What?" she hissed.

But when their eyes met, something in Emma's gaze tempered the mayor's rage. They stared at each other for a long moment until finally Emma said, "I know you love him," and she left without another word.

* * *

As Emma made her way towards the edge of town she found herself inexplicably driving in circles. The radio cranked up, she reasoned she simply needed to clear her head, but when night well and truly fell she realized she needed to find a place to stay soon. Just as she came to that conclusion she drove past a quaint little B&B and decided staying in town might not be such a terrible idea. She told herself it was just for the night, but when she at last collapsed on the tiny, unbelievably comfortable bed she found herself bombarded with images of Henry's gleeful smile as he convinced her to drive him home. And just as she was drifting off to sleep something odd drifted through her memory, something she couldn't quite put her finger on before she was fully asleep: a faint scent of citrus.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**This should be the last chapter of skipping, and after this I'll probably depart from canon altogether.**

Regina stared down at the illustration, brow furrowed, odd, unidentifiable emotions welling inside her. Her eyes skimmed over the story that accompanied the picture and she felt a pang of sorrow. This couldn't possibly how her son saw her, could it? What had she done, what had gone _horribly_ wrong in their relationship for Henry to see her as the Evil Queen? At the very least it explained why he had never discussed his fairy tale theory with her. Apparently eager for more punishment, she slowly flipped through the rest of the book, her mood sinking lower with each mention of this awful character. When she flipped the final page she looked down and realized that the last three pages were missing. Had Henry torn them out?

"Henry?" Regina called out a few minutes later. Rather than waiting for a response she entered his room to see him fixing the buttons on his shirt in the mirror. He met her eyes in the reflection. "Why are there pages missing from your book?"

"It's an old book. Stuff's missing. What do you care?"

"Henry," Regina reached out and grabbed Henry's arm. Not roughly, but could feel an internal struggle not to squeeze as tight as her muscles would allow and it scared her. "I know those pages were torn out, and recently. Did you tear them out? Is there something in them you're trying to hide?"

Henry rolled his eyes and wrenched his arm to free it from Regina's grasp. When she didn't let go he looked up at her, eyes wide, and his fear made her release him instantly. They stared at each other for a moment, Regina's mask hiding her inner turmoil, Henry's expression changing from one of alarm to one of anger and hatred. "I'm gonna be late for school," he said. With that he yanked his backpack off the bed and slung it over his shoulder as he ran out the door.

Regina waited, feeling numb, listening to his footsteps thundering down the stairs. When she heard the door slam her knees buckled and she sat there on the floor, in the middle of his room, tracing the raised lettering of the cover of his book. She might have stayed like that forever were it not for a very strange sound bringing her to her senses just minutes after Henry left: the chimes of the old clock tower. She couldn't explain why, but something deep in her gut seemed to twist at the sound, choking the breath from her for a moment.

* * *

Emma groaned as she stretched her arms high over her head. She carefully opened her eyes, blinking rapidly in the morning light now filtering through her window. It took her a moment to get her bearings in the unfamiliar, very _floral_ room, but she quickly remembered where she was and why. She also realized what had awoken her: loud pounding on her room door. Eyes narrowed, she slid out from under the covers and crossed the room in a few quick strides. After a quick look through the peephole she rolled her eyes and yanked open the door. She didn't even flinch as a fist very nearly collided with her face. "Good morning, Madam Mayor."

Regina quickly withdrew her hand, though she seemed to do it somewhat reluctantly. "What are you doing here?"

"Um..." Emma looked down at her state of undress, then back up at the mayor - whom Emma couldn't help noticing was once again looking powerful and very much in charge. "Shouldn't I be asking _you_ that question?"

Regina shoved past Emma, banging the door shut behind her, and whirled to face the blonde. She clearly had zero concept of personal space. "Take my advice, Miss Swan: get back in that piece of yellow junk you call a car and leave this town."

"Your breath smells wonderful. Do I detect a hint of orange? What is it with you and citrus, anyway?" Emma said, tilting her head slightly as she smiled, unphased.

Regina blinked. 'Damn I'm good,' Emma thought. "Don't underestimate me, Miss Swan," Regina said, her tone low and menacing. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

Emma rolled her eyes. "I'm taking a vacation in a quaint little seaside town, Madam Mayor. I hope this isn't how you treat all your tourists."

Regina scoffed. "You think I don't see what you're doing? Biding your time here until you can worm your way back into Henry's life?"

Now Emma's humour vanished. "_Something_ made that kid run away, and if no one else in this town is gonna stand up and ask why then _I will_."

"Any problems Henry has are being taking care of," Regina snapped. At the look on Emma's face she instantly regretted speaking the words, but she wouldn't allow her mask to slip. She would not give this woman the satisfaction of seeing her slip. Again.

"What does _that_ mean?" Emma said, looking shocked.

Regina drew herself up, though she felt more like she was deflating. "It means I have him in therapy."

"He's ten," Emma said flatly.

Regina threw up her hands. "Yes, Miss Swan, he's a ten year old boy who was abandoned at birth, has no father figure, and has trouble making friends. He needs someone to _talk_ to."

"Maybe if his mother wasn't the town tyrant he'd have an easier time making friends."

Once again Emma found herself with zero personal space, but she was no longer face to face with the cool, unflinching mayor. The woman in front of her now was practically pulsing with fury, eyes blazing, breathing heavy. Emma took several steps back out of shock, but Regina mirrored her movements and she quickly ran out of space to retreat. She could feel the moisture of Regina's breath on her cheek.

Regina's mask was gone. She didn't care, _couldn't_ care; all she wanted was to grab Emma by the throat and throw her out of town for good. But as she stood there, blood pounding, terror fuelling her anger and twisting it into pure rage, something clicked: Emma had said _his mother_. Emma had called Regina Henry's mother. No mention of 'my kid' or 'birth mother' or even 'adoptive parent'. Emma truly saw Regina as Henry's mother. Emma's kinship with Henry was certainly fuelling her decision to stay - of that there was no doubt - but perhaps the woman simply saw herself as trying to protect a child, pure and simple. She quickly stepped back, mask sliding back into place so fast it made Emma dizzy. "I expect you gone by this afternoon, Miss Swan, or I will show what a tyrant _really_ looks like."

Shaken and frustrated, Regina went straight home after her encounter with Emma. She felt completely out of sorts, her emotions flying high, scattering in a thousand different directions. All of the turmoil of the last few days was making Regina feel like a dam had burst inside her and there was no patching it up. She kicked off her heels and raced up the stairs, nearly tripping in her skintight dress, and hastily closed the door. Thankful that Henry wasn't home she burst into tears, moaning and shaking, terrified and confused. Why was this hitting her so hard? She'd always known Henry's birth mother was out there somewhere. She'd always known he might be curious, might try to seek her out. And she'd always reassured herself that the law was on her side and no out would ever take Henry away. So then why was she being so thoroughly broken down by this woman, like a sugar cube in hot coffee? Regina could feel a deep ache inside of her, a deep _need_ to make this woman _GO AWAY_.

Suddenly the phone rang and she jumped, banging her elbow painfully against the bedpost. Hissing in pain, she made her way over to the phone and, taking a moment to compose herself, answered it, "Mayor Mills."

"Regina, it's Graham."

It took a moment for the words to sink in. "Graham...I told you not to call me here."

"I know, but I thought you'd wanna know that Henry just left with that blonde woman. Is that something we should be worrying about?"

"_We_ don't need to worry about anything, Graham. She's leaving town." Regina hung up without waiting for a reply. She stared at the phone for a minute, mind racing, trying to calm herself. A few minutes later she was dialing the phone without even having made a conscious decision.

"Dr. Hopper," a voice answered.

"Hello, Doctor. This is Mayor Mills," she said, feeling oddly detached.

"Ah, hello Madam Mayor. How's Henry?"

"Fine. Listen, I need you to do me a favour."

"O-of course." He failed to hide his surprise.

"Miss Swan is going to be visiting your office at some point today. I want you to give her Henry's file." Regina searched her memory and realized that this was in fact a very real possibility. The fact that this plan had come to her so quickly, so naturally, was unnerving.

"You want...but Madam Mayor, those files are confidential."

"I am Henry's mother, Doctor. His legal guardian, and I want you to give his file to Miss Swan. Am I making myself clear?"

"Y-yes."

"Good. One more thing, doctor..."

* * *

Regina stared down at the contents of her glass, nearly drained. She could practically see Emma Swan's face in the amber liquid, face framed by bars. She felt hot guilt twisting her gut. Had she really strong-armed Dr. Hopper into _framing_ an innocent woman? Granted, the Storybrooke jail was hardly the worst place to spend a night. Hell, it probably wasn't even the worst place _in town_ to spend a night. Still, she was innocent. Not only of stealing, but even of coming into Storybrooke. It had been Henry who brought _her_ here. Regina could understand her fear, her fear of losing Henry, something she had lived with since the first day she held him in her arms. But why was she so angry? Why was she filled with such hatred towards this woman she didn't even know? She was rough around the edges - the woman answered the door in her underwear for god's sake - but that hardly warranted Regina's hatred. It was Miss Blanchard all over again, but this time Regina suspected it would be much more difficult to avoid the target of her rage.

Regina glanced at the phone, fingernails drumming against her glass. Perhaps she had acted too rashly. Perhaps a bit of rational action would put things right, maybe ease the tension so Regina could finally relax. But just as she reached out to pick up the phone, she heard a noise outside. She sprang to her feet, looking down from her window, and the sight in her yard made her blood boil.

"What the hell are you doing?" Regina screamed, racing across the lawn as fast as her dress and heels would allow. She was breathing heavily, eyes wide, unable to believe what she was seeing. Was this woman seriously on her lawn with a _chainsaw_?

"Picking apples," Emma said, flashing a cocky grin.

"You're out of your mind!" Regina yelled, incredulous.

"No, you are. You think some shoddy frame job is gonna send me skittering outta town with my tail between my legs? Think again." Emma tossed the chainsaw down at the base of the tree.

"There is _nothing_ here for you, Miss Swan. Why don't you just do us both a favour and leave?" It was meant to sound threatening but Regina found her tone transforming into one of genuine curiosity. Why _was_ she so determined to stick around?

"Gee, I dunno, maybe because some crazy woman is so determined to throw me out of town that she sent me _to __**jail**_. What exactly are you hiding around here, Madam Mayor?"

_This is _my_ happy ending._

Regina gave her head a sharp shake, eyes squeezed shut. She pressed the heel of her hand against her forehead, trying to ease the sudden twinge of pain. "I don't care what your intentions are with Henry." She dropped her hand to meet Emma's gaze again. "You not only gave up your right to be his mother, you gave up your right to be in his life. Period. He is _my_ son and I will not have you hanging around her confusing him. If the threat of a criminal record isn't enough to convince you, fine. I'll file a restraining order. It's up to you, Miss Swan. Of your own free will or by force, you _will_ leave this town."

"You're-"

"No!" Regina cut her off, closing the gap between them. "No, Miss Swan. Clearly I haven't made my point yet so let me clarify it for you: come between me and my son, and I swear to the Gods I will kill you." With that she turned and went back inside, not even bothering to see whether or not Emma was leaving.

"The Gods?" Emma muttered, grabbing the chainsaw before making her way out of the garden.


End file.
